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ABOUT & FAQS

ABOUT ME FAQS

ABOUT ME

Since the beginning of 1977, my father was the first tourism provider to organise treks for British trekking companies to the Atlas Mountains such as Ramblers Holidays, Exodus adventure Holiday and Explore Worldwide in order to serve the community.

From the age of seven I have joined may father to trek the Atlas Mountains. I have lived and worked a lifetime in the more remote jagged areas of High Atlas. I know and love the local characters, the people whose lives are steeped in local Berber traditions and folkways.

Due to my operational experience with my father I started to have responsibilities in leading treks in Atlas Mountains since 1995 I was walking, driving and discovering all of Morocco.

I own a hostel at village of Aroumd. May hostel are clearly designed to cater for the basic needs of groups and departure point for groups heading for the mountain, offering clean spacious rooms, hot showers, and a terrace on top where you can have breakfast overlooking valleys as well as Mount Toubkal.

FAQS

Most people who go on guided walking tours worry about how difficult they are going to be and will I be able to keep up with the group or will I be the one that slows them down, well don\'t worry. Our tours are aimed at those of you who wish to explore the Atlas Mountains at a moderate pace, so you are not expected to be an avid walker or incredibly fit and the walks are 4 to 5 hours in duration. All our walking Guides are experienced and FRMSM guides and all have first aid training.

What's involved in a Typical Day?

6:00. Get up. This sounds great but in fact the day is simply moved forward a couple of hours. Start packing your kitbag; keeping day-sack separate with drink, iodine, share of first aid kit, snacks, jacket, camera. Put kitbag in a pile to show the Berbers it is ready for packing onto the mules. Eat breakf when it is ready.

7:00. Start trekking. Stop whenever you fancy. Enjoy the cool temperatures at this time of the day, especially since the harder uphill part will be in the morning. Have snacks along the way – bring your own. Buy cokes occasionally. Very occasionally there may be a little café selling mazbas etc.

14:00 – 17:00. Finish trekking. Our days varied quite a bit with some finishing at lunchtime and some taking much longer. Lunch would normally be served shortly after we arrived at camp. Set out camping mats and sleeping bags. Have a wash in the stream; wash clothes also. Read a book / write diary / play with the Berber staff or local children.

19:00. Dinner

21:00. Bed time

Trip arrangements

During all treks we provide 4 season trekking tents which are pitched on twin share basis. Treks carry Mess tents, toilet tents and kitchen tents on a regular basis. Mules, horses, donkeys or porters are taken depending on the area of operation and you need carry only their day packs with packed lunch, water, camera and wind/water proof jackets. The dining mess tent. You will need to bring your own sleeping mats and sleeping bags, water bottles and personal clothing; however it can be arranged locally on request at extra cost.

Carrying bottled water is a possibility on short/easy treks however we discourage use of plastic on our trips.

A cook accompanies all trips and food is hygienically prepared and wholesome keeping in mind the nature of trip. Our trips are not left to sub-agents or trekking sirdars but organised and accompanied by our most seasoned escorts.

Food during the trip

Morocco has of the finest cuisines in the world. The trek cooks are superb and very proud of their cooking which is fantastic! and they ensure that all the food on the trek is freshly prepared using local ingredients and that there is plenty for everyone.

A typical menu on this trip would be:

Breakfast: Fresh bread with cheese, jam, margarine, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and hot milk. Lunch: A light lunch consisting of fresh mixed salad, tinned fish or meat,bread and cheese, followed by fresh local fruit. Afternoon tea: Tea / coffee / hot chocolate with some dates, figs, nuts and biscuits. Dinner: The evening meal is always a hot meal and is different every night - traditional Moroccan cuisine of Tajineor couscous with meat and vegetables or the occasional pasta meal. This is followed by fresh fruit and the famous mint tea!

Moroccan food is generally heavily meat-orientated and vegetarians may find that their options are rather uninspiring and very limited.

What you need to provide

The additional costs for you once we meet up would be just bottles of water, drinks outside of meals, any showers charged for separately by the accommodation providers and any additional snacks you may wish to purchase.

Transport

Transport is inclusive in our fully packaged tours - you will be carried by taxi /minibus from and to your hotel/riad at Marrakech. On long trips we make several stops for refreshments. We can arrange transfers to and from Marrakech and other locations. These are arranged directly with the Treks Atlas.

The Group

Our groups are small and friendly - 2 to 12 of diverse nationalities. The emphasis is on fun and enjoyment and you will be in the company of like-minded travellers who enjoy the great outdoors. We cater for all age groups from early teens. Many of our clients travel alone, some are couples and we also cater for larger groups.

Insurance

You are strongly advised to obtain insurance cover for personal accident, cancellation charges, medical expenses, loss of money or baggage, travel and personal liability when taking part in any of our tours. Treks Atlas or its servants or agents cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to your baggage, or for any illness or injury while on our tours. We also cannot accept responsibility for any loss of damage resulting from circumstances beyond our control.

Climate

(General) Days are normally warm. Nights can at times be very cool, and winter even below freezing. Monsoon showers occur in summer (Heaviest in July and August), and sometimes even in spring and autumn. The most visited months are March, April, May, September October and November. During these months you may expect mostly warm sunny days and cool/cold nights. Whereas rain or snow is not usual at these times, it is a possibility.

We will be happy to give you the weather condition news for your trip.

Easy

Gentle walking open to all with moderate level of fitness. Usually day hikes from a base with little or no camping involved. Ideal for families.

Moderate

5-6 hours of hiking per day over non-technical mountainous terrain. May include several consecutive days of camping.

Moderate/Strenuous

5-8 hours hiking per day with occasional days up to 12 hours, over non-technical mountainous terrain, often at high altitude. Good physical fitness required.

Strenuous

Long days hiking 6-9 hours per day over tough terrain sometimes using specialised equipment (eg crampons), at high altitudes. For experienced walkers.

Spending Money?

Please note that there are no cash machines at Imlil or any other start trek point so please put this in mind.

Accommodation

Walking in Morocco offers a huge range of different accommodation options. In ascending level of comfort/facilities, here is a list of most of the different options and a short description:

Gite

Family house upgraded and registered as tourist accommodation. Shared rooms (usually up to 4 people), bathroom and toilet facilities

How do we book and pay?

Find a trek you are interested in then contact us via our enquiry form to discuss your trek and check availability. Once the details of your trek (duration, route and number of people) have been agreed, we will make a provisional booking, giving the dates and cost.

To confirm your booking we ask you to pay a deposit of 10%. This can be in Euros, pounds sterling or US dollars. Payment is quick, easy and secure through PayPal and is made by credit or debit card. The balance is paid in Morocco – again in Euros, sterling or dollars – at the beginning of the trek.